Missing hunter rescued while looking for moose antlers

Warwick woman becomes disoriented, lost in NH bog

New Hampshire officials said a Massachusetts woman is safe after she became lost in the North Country woods while searching for cast-off moose antlers in a Pittsburg bog.

Officials said 49-year-old Sharon Matthews, of Warwick, Mass., was rescued from South Bay Bog after she became disoriented in the thick spruce and balsam fir swamp.

Matthew's husband reported her missing at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday. She was last seen around 12:30 p.m.

Pittsburg police and conservation officers used ATVs to search snowmobile trails around the bog until officers spotted a plume of smoke that turned out to be from a fire set by Matthews. She and her dog were found next to the fire at about 8 p.m.

"She was carrying a day pack containing a GPS, water, food, a rain jacket, flashlight and most importantly, butane lighter. It was ultimately the smoke from her fire that led us to her location," said Conservation Officer Chris Egan.

He said staying in one location and building a fire was the right thing to do. "Had she waited until dark to light the fire, it would not have been seen from the road due to the dense vegetation," Egan said.Matthews was wet and had suffered many insect bites, but was otherwise unhurt.

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